Fighting Miraculous With You
by ToujoursMiraculous
Summary: Team Miraculous defeat Hawk Moth, and Paris is finally safe from attack. Without the pressure of constant akumas, the City of Love lives up to its name, and relationships blossom. However, a danger even worse than Hawk Moth is lurking under the surface of the calm, and it will take everything Master Fu knows to stop it, before the Miraculous and their secrets are destroyed forever.
1. Chapter 1

"I know Hawk Moth's a bad guy and all, but isn't he getting tired of the constant akumas?" Carapace was leaning back against the chimney of the home Team Miraculous decided to take a break on top of, his arms and legs sprawled out with exhaustion.

The team already had fought two akumas that day, after a three day span of multiple attacks.

Queen B leaned on the chimney as well, her arms crossed. "Not that I don't like fighting akumas and all, but I have things to do today," she tapped her fingers on her arm anxiously.

Chat Noir snorted. "Like what? Stare at yourself in the mirror?"

"You're never going to let that go, are you? It was just one time that I got distracted by my reflection! Knowing you, Chat Noir, I'll bet your civilian self just loves to gawk at yours!"

Rena Rouge groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Alright, alright!" Ladybug stepped in. "We're all tired and frustrated, but we can't start fighting amongst ourselves. That's what Hawk Moth wants. We can't let it be our weakness."

Carapace got to his feet with a grunt. "LB's right. Hawk Moth's probably done for the day himself. I think we should all go home and get some sleep."

"Sounds good to me," Rena Rouge replied with a sigh.

Carapace, Queen B, and Rena Rouge began heading home. Chat started to follow but Ladybug calling his name kept him from moving another inch.

"M'lady?" he turned, tilting his head to the side. "Everything okay?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you."

"What?"

Ladybug looked down at the ground that lay between her and Chat Noir, her tone slightly higher with awkwardness. "It's just that… you never get into arguments, and you rarely ever say anything construed as mean. Not to mention you look really tired and worn out."

"Oh," Chat gave a crooked smile and scratched the back of his head a moment. "It's nothing really, I'm just tired."

Ladybug's eyebrows rose and she crossed her arms. She wasn't buying it.

He sighed. "Things in my civilian life have gotten a lot more hectic around the time akumas were being released multiple times a day. It's really nothing to worry about."

"If you need some time to recover, the team and I can handle it. You should get some rest."

"No!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide and his cat-like pupils dilated. It gave him the appearance of a frightened cat. "I'm okay, r-really!"

"If you're sure…. Just… don't push yourself too hard, okay Kitty?"

"Of course not."

"And Chat?"

"Yeah?"

Ladybug took a few steps towards him, closing the space between them. Blue met green, and all Chat could see in her eyes was deep concern. _For him_.

"Sleep well," she whispered gently.

He nodded, and with the click of his baton, he was off into the dusk.

But Ladybug wasn't heading home herself just yet.

She went over it in her head a few times before making her decision. She knew her team, especially Chat, would not like her scoping it out alone, but they were much too exhausted to worry about this right now. However, Ladybug knew if she didn't follow her gut instinct and it was proven to be correct, she'd save herself and her team a lot of trouble.

With a tired sigh, she headed for the Agreste's.

—-

"Adrien… need… Camembert…." Plagg moaned as soon as he let his transformation go, safe in his room.

"Alright, here. You can have two slices tonight, you deserve it."

The Cat Kwami sniffed the air. "Ahh, my gooeyness…" he drooled, holding out his little paws eagerly for a slice, and began devouring it the moment it was in his clutches.

Adrien chuckled.

"I feel so overworked," he began, his mouth full of cheese. "I can't imagine how you're feeling, kid."

"I'll be fine. A good night's rest should help me feel like myself again," he yawned and stretched, and dragged his feet towards his bathroom, his posture slumped and his eyes drooping.

A flash of red in his peripheral vision caught his attention.

His head quickly jerked to the side, and automatically he ran towards his window.

"Ladybug?" he mumbled in surprise. "What is she doing here?"

"Is she a secret admirer, too?" Plagg had floated up next to Adrien, his mouth still very full of Camembert.

Adrien glared at Plagg from the corner of his eyes. "Hardly. Ladybug would never waste her time coming to visit me. Which means, there must be something important going on."

"What do you think that could be?"

"...Oh no."

"What?"

"Remember, she suspected my father as being Hawk Moth? I don't think she let that go completely. To be fair, I haven't either. And with all of the akuma attacks lately, it's no wonder she wants to find the one behind it. We need to shut down Hawk Moth once and for all."

"And if your father happens to be Hawk Moth… what will you do?"

Adrien just shook his head. After a moment of watching Ladybug resting on a building across the street, it finally sunk in what she was doing.

She was watching his father with her yo-yo. Something that could pick up what was going on inside a building with ease.

"Uh, Plagg?"

"Yeah?"

Adrien cleared his throat. "I know you said Kwamis can't be filmed or photographed, but does that also include the cameras in our weapons as well?"

Plagg's eyes went wide. Then he shrugged as if it was trivial. "Actually, I have no clue."

"Great, so if she looks this way, she'll either see you and discover that I'm Chat Noir. Or she'll see me talking to thin air."

"Take your pick, my friend."

"I choose neither. Go hide over there and don't move until she leaves," he pointed towards his bed.

"Fine by me, I feel like a nap anyway," he quickly darted towards the bed, and curled up on the pillow Adrien designated just for him. Within moments, he was lightly snoring.

—-

Ladybug planted herself on top of a building near the mansion, and unlocked her yo-yo to see into the building. Granted, she felt uneasy about doing this, but considering Gabriel Agreste never left his home, and stopping by and asking him about it was certainly not an option, she had little choice.

As long as she didn't turn it towards Adrien's room, she told herself, it'd be fine.

First, she examined the layout of the house to see where he was. She noticed he was in a room she never recalled seeing the few times she visited. However, she brushed off her doubt as her not visiting enough to remember the exact layout of his home.

Then she noticed something strange.

There was a chute, connecting the dining room to this mysterious room Marinette had never seen before. Puzzled, Ladybug changed the setting so she could view inside.

The image that appeared on her screen caused her to gasp involuntarily, her yo-yo slipping from her grip.

Ladybug's heart sank to her stomach as she saw Hawk Moth standing proudly in the Agreste Mansion.

* * *

 **AN: Hey everyone, thank you for reading the first chapter of this collab fic between JennaTalbot and I! We're really excited to share our ideas with you that we've been planning for a few weeks, and hope you enjoy what's to come, and believe me, it's going to be quite the story!**  
 **Reviews are absolutely adored, so please let us know what you think! c:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Written by JennaTalbot**

* * *

Ladybug raced across the rooftops in the darkness, a thousand thoughts swirling through her mind.

 _Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth? What were they supposed to do about that? How would they stop him? Did Adrien know his father was a super villain? How was she supposed to break the news to him?_

Her mind was still spinning as she stopped outside of the small apartment. She hesitated for a moment, slightly out of breath, before knocking.

She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. The Parisian night air had a slight chill to it, and she was worried about being in the same place for too long as Ladybug. It was late enough that no one was likely to notice her, but one could never be sure in a city the size of Paris.

After a few moments, she raised her hand to knock again. The door was pulled open just as her fist was about to make contact, and she had to pull back quickly to avoid hitting the old man.

"Oh, oh no, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Please, come in Ladybug," the old man chuckled as he cut off her stammering.

Ladybug closed her mouth and followed him through the doorway and into the small living space. Despite the late hour, it was well lit, and there was a steaming pot of tea on the table.

"Were… were you expecting me?"

Master Fu just smiled as he sat down, and gestured for Ladybug to do the same. "Please, sit. And Tikki is welcome to join us, there are cookies."

Marinette released her transformation with a flash and then sat down. Tikki immediately eyed the plate of cookies on the table, which Master Fu pushed towards her with a small smile.

"So Marinette, what brings you here at this late hour?" He could tell that the girl was troubled.

Marinette paused. She knew what she saw, but saying it out loud would make it real.

"I think… no, I know who Hawk Moth is," she said finally, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

Master Fu raised an eyebrow, inviting her to continue.

Marinette paused again. Telling Master Fu how she found out would mean admitting to spying on the Agreste mansion. But she was here for advice, and Master Fu needed to know the entire situation.

"The akuma attacks have been getting more frequent lately, and we've been fighting multiple in a day. It's getting to the point where we need to find Hawk Moth, and stop him for good, I'm not sure how much more of this we can all take. So I… _might_ have gone over to the Agreste mansion tonight. I had a suspicion that Gabriel was Hawk Moth, even though I didn't want to believe it, I knew I had to check it out. And well, I saw him. I saw Hawk Moth standing in the middle of a hidden room in the Agreste mansion. At first, I thought maybe it was a coincidence, that Hawk Moth was there for some other reason but…. Then I saw him transform. Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth."

Master Fu just nodded, and Marinette frowned.

"Master Fu, did you already know that Mr. Agreste was Hawk Moth?"

The old man shook his head. "No. But like you, I had my suspicions. There were others that I suspected as well, but you figured it out before I did."

Marinette turned her blue eyes to meet his. "Master Fu… what do we do now? We need to stop Hawk Moth, but he's Adrien's _father_ and I love-" Marinette blushed as she cut off. "What are we going to do?"

Master Fu sighed, and Marinette swore she could see him age ten years.

"There are… things that I haven't told you yet, Marinette. About your Miraculous, and its power."

"Things like how to stop Hawk Moth?"

He nodded. "Yes. You know that the Ladybug Miraculous holds the power of creation, and the Black Cat wields the power of destruction. When these two powers come together, they can have formidable consequences. One of their combined powers is the ability to erase memories."

"Like a mind wipe?" Marinette asked.

"It's more complicated than that. The Black Cat is destruction. When used on the mind, it will obliterate it completely, and irrevocably. The mind is a fragile thing, and could never endure the power of the Cat alone. But the Ladybug is creation and restoration. When combined with the Black Cat, the effects are dampened, and instead of being destroyed, the mind is just altered. This is still a dangerous process, and there is much room for error. But, I believe this is our best chance at stopping Hawk Moth for good, without harming young Adrien's father."

"So, Chat and I just have to… what exactly?"

Master Fu picked up the pot of tea and poured a cup for Marinette, and slid it towards her. Then he poured one for himself as well and took a long drink, before finally setting his cup down on the table.

"In theory, it should be simple. By now, you're aware that your weapons can do many more things than their obvious purposes, yes?"

Marinette nodded. They had all discovered new things to do with their weapons. She had used her yo-yo for one such purpose earlier that night.

"Good," Master Fu answered. He then went on to explain how Ladybug and Chat Noir could combine her yo-yo and his staff into a new weapon, that would effectively erase all of Gabriel's memories of being Hawk Moth.

"I must warn your Marinette. This will be difficult to do, and Hawk Moth must be subdued before you can attempt it. It is imperative that you take back the Moth Miraculous _before_ you erase his memories. The power of a Miraculous strengthens the mind, and it may not work if Gabriel is still in possession of Nooroo. Even worse, there is a possibility that it will backfire, and only affect Nooroo."

Marinette nodded solemnly. "Yes Master Fu, I understand. Is there anything else I should know?" She was anxious to tell the others, but she didn't want to leave if Master Fu still had things to share with her.

He smiled. "Is that not enough?"

Marinette stood to take her leave. "Thank you, Master Fu. I'm going to go see if I can get in contact with the others." It was late, but Marinette knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if she didn't at least try to share this new information. Everything she learned was threatening to overwhelm her, and she needed to hear the other heroes input on the situation.

She said her goodbyes and transformed back into Ladybug before slipping back into the night. She vaulted back to the rooftops, crouching down behind a chimney before pulling out her yo-yo in an attempt to call her partners.

Unsurprisingly, Rena Rouge was the first to answer. She always seemed to be awake, no matter what time it was. Ladybug honestly wasn't sure if Rena Rouge ever slept, but she always seemed happy enough.

"Hey LB, what's up?"

"I know it's late, but I'm trying to get in touch with everyone. I have some serious news, and I don't think it can wait."

Rena Rouge yawned. "Ok, I'll see if I can get ahold of the boys if you want to try Queen B next? She always knows the best meeting places, so I'm sure she can get us somewhere now."

"Good idea, thanks!" Ladybug hung up and called Queen B next. Thankfully, the blonde answered after the fifth ring, even though she didn't look happy about it. When she heard the tone of Ladybug's voice, she quickly agreed to find them somewhere to meet.

Just then, her communicator pinged, and she saw a text from Rena Rouge saying Queen B sent her a location, and her and the boys were on their way.

Twenty minutes later, they were all settled into a conference room in Le Grand Paris, a room that Queen B had managed to claim for them before. Apparently, the Mayor was more than happy to provide any help he could to Paris' young heroes.

"So, what's up Ladybug?" Carapace asked with a huge yawn. "You know it's past my bedtime, right?"

The others nodded in agreement, all in various states of half asleep. Only Chat Noir looked awake. Ladybug felt bad, she knew it had been a long day after an even longer week for her team, but her gut was telling her that this couldn't wait. She firmly believed they needed to act against Hawk Moth as soon as possible.

She took a deep breath. "I found out who Hawk Moth is."

The room was silent.

"You're not serious," Carapace finally broke the silence.

"I am," Ladybug confirmed.

Carapace, Rena Rouge, and Queen B all started talking at once, asking questions that Ladybug didn't hear. She was focused on Chat, who had gone white as a ghost.

"Chat? Are you ok?" She echoed her question from earlier that day, the concern still laced through her voice.

The others stopped talking and turned to look at him.

"I uh… yeah! Yeah, everything is fine, just needed a moment to process that. So uh…" he trailed off.

"Who is it?" Queen B asked.

Ladybug paused again. "Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agreste."

This time there was no silence, and the room erupted, although one hero was still silent.

"I have the start of a plan to stop him once and for all," Ladybug announced over the din.

"What kind of plan?" Chat asked, and Ladybug could see the apprehension on his face.

"I stopped by the Agreste mansion tonight, that's how I discovered who Hawk Moth was. After, I went to go see Master Fu. I didn't want to disturb you guys if I didn't have to, and I was already out. He told me how Chat and I could combine our weapons and make a sort of… well, I'm not sure what you would call it, but the effect is similar to hypnosis. It will allow us to wipe Hawk Moth's memory. He won't have any knowledge of Miraculous anymore, or any memory of what happened or what he did."

Rena Rouge and Queen B exchanged glances. "That's it then? He's not going to be punished for what he's done to Paris?"

Ladybug frowned. "This isn't about revenge. Our goal is to protect the people of Paris. To do that, we have to stop Hawk Moth, and this is how we stop Hawk Moth."

Reluctantly, they both nodded.

"It makes sense," Carapace chimed in.

"Chat, what do you think?" Ladybug turned to face her partner. He had been unusually quiet, and Ladybug was worried.

"I… yeah. Yeah, that sounds… _pawsitively purrfect_ to me," Chat joked. Ladybug was relieved that he was joking again, even if his heart didn't seem to be into it.

She reasoned that this was a lot of information to take in. When she had found out, and with everything Master Fu had told her, Ladybug had been overwhelmed too. Her and Chat had been fighting Hawk Moth for so long, and now to find out that it was someone who was well known and respected in Paris, someone under their noses the entire time…

"The one caveat is that we have to take his Miraculous before we can try this. Master Fu was very clear on that," Ladybug added.

"How are we going to do that? He's not exactly the most social villain," Rena Rouge pointed out.

"No, but now we have the element of surprise on our side. We know who he is, and where we can find him," Ladybug pointed out. Then, she began to outline her plan, the other heroes growing more excited as she went on.

* * *

 **Hey everyone, thank you to those who have read, left reviews, and followed/favorited so far! We're really excited by this idea, and we love hearing your feedback!**


	3. Chapter 3

"So are we all on board with the plan?" Ladybug asked the group of now wide-awake superheroes.

Everyone nodded but Chat, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Chat?" Ladybug asked, but it didn't reach him. Queen B elbowed him in the arm.

"Huh?"

"The plan, are you on board with it?"

He blinked, and by the look on his face, you could tell he was carefully thinking about the words she spoke.

"Oh, y-yeah."

Ladybug turned to the others. "You guys can go ahead, I need to speak with Chat Noir."

"Sure, we'll meet you guys on the roof when you're ready," Carapace said.

"Thank you."

Once they were alone, Ladybug approached Chat Noir, trying to meet his eyes.

"Something's wrong with you, and... it's worrying me. Won't you tell me?"

Chat Noir looked down into her anxious bluebell eyes, her words of keeping their identities from each other playing through his mind. But this was the perfect time to let her know who he really was, the most important time. It could help them defeat his father.

"I'll tell you, but in order to do that, I'll need to tell you who I really am."

Ladybug took a step backwards involuntarily. "N-no, if telling me means you need to expose who you are, then -" Chat stepped forward, taking her hand.

"You need to know who I am, Ladybug. Right now. You won't have to tell me who you are, that's not what this is about. But in this situation, my civilian self will be a lot more helpful than Chat Noir. And I really don't want you to worry about me, m'lady," he kissed the top of her hand.

"If that's what you think is best," she sighed, deciding to trust his judgement.

He detransformed in front of her, and her eyes closed upon instinct. Slowly, she began to open them when the bright light had vanished, Adrien's smiling face greeting her. Her eyes shot open in surprise, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"It's you…" she whispered after a few moments. "It's really you…"

Ladybug took the few steps that separated them and threw her arms around his neck.  
Adrien was caught off guard at her reaction. It took him a moment to register what was happening before he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You know me?" he breathed.

Ladybug only let out a breathy laugh.

"I'm so sorry, Chaton," her voice filled with regret. "I'm really sorry."

"Now it's my turn to ask, are you alright?" Adrien had pulled away to get a look at her face.

She didn't meet his eyes, her focus on the door.

"I'll tell you when this is all over, okay?" She quickly brushed away a tear that was falling down her face. "I promise. But right now, Paris is counting on us to take care of this."

Adrien nodded. "The plan will have to be altered slightly. Instead, I can go home and get into an argument with my father to distract him so you guys can sneak in. He won't suspect anything, we haven't been getting along well lately. Tell the others that I had to leave to pick something up so they won't wonder where I am. Once you and the others are fighting my father, I'll slip away and transform so we can take away his Miraculous and end this once and for all."

"Take this," Ladybug handed him the ever familiar black box. "You can tell them this is what you left to retrieve. We'll have to bring the Moth Miraculous back in this."

Adrien stuffed it away in his jacket pocket. "Be careful."

"Always," she gave him a wink and was out the door.

"That went well," Plagg spoke then, he had been hiding, trying to give Adrien time to talk with Ladybug.

"It went a lot better than I thought it would, that's for sure. Anyway, here's your Camembert, we have to hurry and beat them there."

Adrien managed to get around his team and make it to his house before they arrived. He quickly flung himself into his room and let his transformation go. Plagg shot into his dark jacket to hide. Adrien flew the door open, and jogged out of his room, anxious to find his father.

He knew the perfect topic that would keep his father's attention, if not cause a scene, allowing his team to come in from his open window and to his office.

Adrien took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," he heard his father's cold voice command from the other side.

"Father," he greeted.

Gabriel wasn't looking at his son, but was focused on a book he held in his hand.

"Do you need something?"

"I wanted to speak with you."

"About?" he was already losing patience.

"I don't want to be a model anymore, Father."

"Through here," Ladybug dropped down from the roof and into Adrien's open bedroom window.  
Carapace, Rena Rouge, and Queen B followed suit.

"So… A- I mean, this is Gabriel Agreste's son's room?" Queen B asked nervously.

"Yes, we can sneak over to his office from here," Ladybug replied, heading for the door.

Carapace and Rena Rouge glanced at each other. "You seem awfully familiar with this house."

Ladybug turned around, a highly amused look on her face. "I've had to fight a lot of akumas here with Chat Noir. Now it seems we know why... Before we leave this room, remember what you're supposed to do, and who you need to look out for."

She opened the door, leaving it only open ajar so she could peek through. From what she could see, the coast looked clear.  
Ladybug motioned for her team to follow her as she slowly left the room.

"You will not quit, Adrien! Do you understand me?" They heard Gabriel's voice reverberating off the walls, carrying it throughout the house.

"Father, I have no interest in modeling. It takes up too much of my time, time that I could be doing other things."

"Like what?! Spending time with those friends of yours? They're not proving to be a very good influence on you, Adrien, and I don't like it!"

Carapace huffed. The girls' eyes darted to him.

"No, Father! My friends have nothing to do with this, I just don't want to be on the path that you chose for me. I want to be the one to choose what to do with my life."

Ladybug motioned for them to continue towards the door.

"It sounds like you already have something in mind… what is it?"

She hesitated by the door, should she interrupted at this moment, or let him finish?

There was a pause, and she took it as a sign to come in. Ladybug pushed the door open.

"What are you doing here, Ladybug?" Gabriel's mouth curved down into a prominent frown.

Ladybug stood tall, her yo-yo ready to use at a moment's notice.

"Keeping my promise. I told you one day I'd make you hand over your Miraculous… Hawk Moth."

Gabriel stood as still as a statue for a moment, his eyes only darting once towards a painting on the wall.  
Suddenly, he made a run towards it, his speed took Ladybug and the others by surprise. However, Rena Rouge was too quick for him.

"You're not going anywhere," she grinned mischievously.  
Gabriel let out a low chuckle. "You think you can defeat me?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we can. Considering we do it practically on a daily basis," Carapace rolled his eyes.

Adrien had made his way out of the room, undetected by everyone. He rushed into another room nearby and transformed into Chat Noir once more.  
With ease, he walked back in, and stood alongside his Lady. She flashed him a smile before bringing her attention back on Gabriel.

"We're only going to ask you this once. Hand over your Miraculous."

"Never," he glared up at her from over his glasses. Gabriel chuckled again, sounding much darker than before. "Nooroo -"

"Now!" Ladybug screamed, throwing her yo-yo in his direction, the strings wrapping around him to keep him bound. Queen B released her trompo and cried out "Swarm!" sending little worker bees to construct a wall made of honeycomb to block Gabriel's escape to his lair.

Rena Rouge stepped up then, using her Mirage power to create a vision they unfortunately knew would hold his attention.

A beautiful woman stood in front of Gabriel, her long blonde hair brushed to one side, her large, bright green eyes staring at him.

He stared back in shock, his natural response was to try to make his way towards her.

Chat Noir's jaw clenched, and he looked away with a pained expression. Carapace took notice, and although he didn't know why his teammate seemed troubled, he knew it was due to the scene before him.  
Carapace called for his Jaded Shield, which kept both him and Chat Noir from witnessing anything else.  
Chat nodded a thanks.

Gabriel's eyes were locked on the illusion of his wife, almost as if it were mesmerizing him. Ladybug used this opportunity to remove the brooch he was wearing.  
Once it was in her possession, Rena Rouge's mirage vanished, leaving Gabriel dazed and confused.

"No…" he mumbled, his tone hopeless. "You can't…"

"We can't allow you to continue terrorizing an entire population." Ladybug handed the Miraculous to Chat Noir, who put it carefully away in its box.

"Ready?" she asked.

Chat took a glance at his father. He was bent down on his knees, anger, pain and something else he couldn't quite pin down shaped his expression.  
"Let's do this," he responded determinedly, though his brows furrowed.

Ladybug and Chat Noir pressed a random pattern on their weapons, which released a strange glow. It encircled the heroes, before it settled around them.

"All memories that you've made regarding the Miraculous since you obtained the Moth Miraculous will be wiped," Ladybug informed him. "You won't be able to hurt anyone else with your power."

Chat and Ladybug each pressed their hands against Gabriel's temples, his eyes closed as the glow flowed into him, his memories of Hawk Moth fading away.

Queen B, Carapace, and Rena Rouge left the room, leaving Ladybug and Chat Noir to deal with a very confused Gabriel Agreste.

After the superheroes went home to enjoy some much needed rest, Ladybug stayed behind.

"Is it weird for you, knowing Chat Noir's real identity?" Adrien asked her as they looked over the city from a balcony near his house.

"No, not at all," she answered with ease.

Adrien glanced at her curiously. "Really? I mean, I'm a total stranger to you."

"Actually, you're aren't," she turned toward him. "Remember when I told you that there was a boy I liked, the reason I couldn't return your feelings for me?"

"Yes?"

"That boy I was talking about... was you," she admitted, not meeting his gaze.

"But how could you know me enough to like me? Very few people do…. Oh right, the model thing," he grumbled as he recalled. "Sometimes I forget all of Paris knows who I am."

"I don't know you, or like you because you're a model, Adrien! And after what I heard you tell your father today, I wish you weren't one," Ladybug took his hands in hers. "You know, when I first met you, I really didn't like you."

Adrien stared down at her, shock written on his face and pain burning in his eyes.

"Wait, let me finish! I didn't like you because I thought you were somebody you weren't. I thought that you'd be like typical rich kids that I've met, those that think they're better than everyone else because of their families or their money and influence. But you proved me wrong, you were nothing like I thought you'd be. You were so kind, thoughtful and gentle… and as soon as I learned that, I knew I was in trouble," Ladybug let go of his hands. "I'm so sorry I judged you without getting to know you, and I'm also really sorry that I always turned you down for… well, you."

"Is that why you were apologizing to me after you found out?"

Ladybug nodded slightly. "Yes," her hand was clenched in a fist, resting over her heart.

Adrien just smiled. "It's alright, I would've done the same."

They stared at the lit up city in front of them awhile in silence, listening to the sounds of the night.

"Adrien?" she whispered suddenly.

He turned his head towards her in response, his heart skipping a beat at his name. She was right there, her face but an inch from his, his breath catching in his throat.  
Ladybug stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Once the initial shock wore off, Adrien kissed her back, his lips moving in sync with hers.  
Her hand traveled up his chest to his face. She pulled him closer to her for a moment, before she let go.

"Tikki, spots off," she breathed.

Adrien shielded his eyes from the bright light, then looked back at the girl who was always behind the mask. The girl he declared that he loved shortly after he met her.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng stood before him, her stance a bit shy, but still confident.

His expression softened considerably after he registered what he was seeing in the moonlight, that it wasn't just his imagination.

It was her, all this time it was her. His friend, the girl he slowly got to know after only being able to observe her from a distance at first because she always seemed so nervous around him. The girl that cared about everyone, including those she didn't get along with. The girl that would go to great lengths just to make someone smile. The girl he had always admired greatly, who he felt was deserving of everything her heart desired. His first friend, and one of the very few people he would ever say truly knew him. _All of him_.

Without a single word and with the most beautiful grin, one that could shatter hearts, Adrien wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him.

Marinette gasped. She heard Adrien's heartbeat humming away in his chest and felt his love and warmth in his embrace. All her fears and worries she had been harboring since they met, vanished with the wind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Written by JennaTalbot**

* * *

Marinette leaned back in her chair, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"What?"

She shook her head lightly, blue eyes meeting green. "Nothing, everything is absolutely perfect."

And it was. Marinette looked around. They were tucked into a corner of a small cafe, Adrien next to her and Alya and Nino seated across the table, bickering about which flavor of ice cream was the best. As she half-listened to them, her smile grew into a grin.

Since Hawkmoth had been defeated, everything had been more wonderful than Marinette could have ever hoped for. Alya and Nino had solidified their relationship to the point where they might have been secretly married. Adrien had his father back, and it was clear that he couldn't be happier. Gabriel still wasn't a great father, but without his desperate ploys to get Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous for himself taking up his time, he was able to be more devoted to his son. It was clear that even this small change was enough to make Adrien over the moon, and Marinette was insanely happy for him.

There was one other change that Marinette couldn't stop thinking about. Chat Noir had revealed himself to her in an act of desperation- he needed a friend he could trust with the knowledge that Hawkmoth was his father. He had told her explicitly that this didn't change anything, that he didn't need to know who she was. She still wasn't entirely sure why she had revealed herself, but it felt _right._ Maybe it was because Chat Noir turned out to be Adrien, the love of her life. Maybe it was because she had promised to explain, although she knew Adrien would never fault her if she hadn't. Maybe it was because of the look on his face when he saw the illusion of his mother that Rena Rogue had produced, a look of pure pain that Marinette never wanted to see again. Maybe it was because she was feeling bold after finally taking down their greatest opponent. Maybe it was a combination of all of those things.

And now they were together. Marinette was Adrien's girlfriend, a label she still wasn't quite used to, even though it had been nearly six months. Every time he said it sounded like the first time to Marinette's ears.

Adrien reached over and squeezed her knee gently, shaking her out of her thoughts. "It's pawsitively purrfect, isn't it?"

Marinette rolled her eyes fondly. "Are you ever going to give up those puns?"

"Do you want me to?" Adrien asked, slightly uncertain.

Marinette's eyes widened. "No! Of course I don't," she reassured him. "That doesn't mean I won't tease you about them though."

Adrien grinned in response. "Glad to hear it, because there are plenty more where those came from."

Alya cleared her throat. "If you two are done…?"

"Sorry Alya," Marinette giggled as she realized her best friend had been staring at her for an indeterminate amount of time. "What were you saying?"

Alya rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh nothing, don't worry about it. Clearly you two have more important things to talk about." She emphasized her last point with an eyebrow waggle.

"Quit being so dramatic," Marinette scolded, but the effect was lost as she blushed furiously.

Adrien laughed. "What's up Alya?"

"Well, despite Nino thinking that butter pecan is the best flavor of ice cream when it's _clearly_ mint chocolate chip, we think we should go get ice cream at André's!"

"I think that sounds like a great idea!" Adrien looked at Marinette, who hesitated for a moment before smiling and nodding. She couldn't help but remember the last time she had gotten one of André's fabled creations. It hadn't gone particularly well, but she was determined not to ruin her friend's excitement.

Despite the protests at the table, Adrien paid their bill and the four headed out across the streets of Paris to look for André's cart wherever it was located that day.

Adrien looked over at Marinette and smiled shyly, before taking her hand. Holding hands was still relatively new for them. Despite the loss of Gabriel's miraculous, he still wasn't the most understanding of fathers, and Adrien hadn't wanted to jeopardize his new relationship with his father, or his relationship with Marinette, by moving too quickly in public. And Marinette was willing to wait as long as it took for Adrien to be comfortable in their new roles. As much as she loved Adrien and wanted the world to know, his comfort was much more important to her.

She took his hand and gave it a light squeeze, which he returned.

The four of them wandered through the city, Alya determined to find André as she dragged Nino along behind her. Adrien and Marinette followed at a more casual pace, laughing at their friend's antics.

Just as it was starting to grow dark, they finally found André, next to the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower standing proud in the background. Excitedly, the four placed their request for ice cream while the lights on the Tower began to flicker on. It was such a beautiful sight, and Marinette couldn't stop staring at her favorite location in Paris.

"And for you, young lady," André's voice interrupted her thoughts. He handed her an ice cream cone, with three scoops of ice cream.

"Seems like things have changed since you were last here, no?" André winked at her as she took the ice cream, her eyes wide. The smallest scoop on top was still a vivid green - the color of Adrien's eyes. The middle scoop, which had been the bottom before, was strawberry, a light pink that matched the color of Adrien's lips. But now, there was a new scoop on the bottom, finally completing her frozen treat.

This bottom scoop was dark in color, almost black, with flecks of white throughout. Marinette wasn't sure she had seen an ice cream quite this color before. Eyes still wide, she turned to Adrien, who was holding his ice cream already: a light blue on top, a deeper blue in the middle, and a vivid red cherry color on the bottom. If she looked closer, she could see darker flecks inside of the red layer, and she smiled. Marinette recognized the light blue as the color of her eyes, and that darker blue was similar to her hair color. And the red could only be for Ladybug, a part of Marinette that she couldn't imagine life without.

"Your ice cream is me," she gasped in surprise.

"And I think yours is me," Adrien responded.

Marinette looked back down at hers, still puzzled about the additional scoop. Last time she got ice cream from André, she had been sure it represented Adrien, or at least she had hoped. But there had only been two scoops that time. A lot had changed since then, and it started when-

"Oh," Marinette whispered. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening before continuing, "The bottom layer… it's because I know that you're Chat Noir now!"

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Now? Have you had my ice cream before?" His voice wasn't accusing, just genuinely curious.

That didn't stop Marinette from blushing, almost as red as the bottom layer of Adrien's ice cream. "Well, I… yeah, no, it's just-"

Adrien cut her off. "Marinette, I've had your ice cream before. Well, I thought it was because I loved Ladybug, but I guess it was because I loved you too, since you are Ladybug."

Marinette felt her heart stutter. She was dating Adrien now, but she wasn't sure she would ever get tired of hearing him say things like that.

"So what do I taste like?" Adrien asked as Marinette just continued to stare at him and blush.

"Um, the top is pistachio, the middle is strawberry, and… this bottom scoop wasn't here the last time I got ice cream from André, so I'm not sure what flavor that is."

Marinette hesitantly took a bite from the bottom layer, careful not to get ice cream all over her face. Her eyes lit up with happiness.

"It's oreo!"

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen oreo ice cream that dark before," Adrien marvelled.

Marinette took another look. Now that she knew what it was, she could tell that the dark part was a giant oreo cookie, softened by the moisture in the ice cream. The small white flecks were the actual ice cream, hidden almost completely by the cookie.

"I don't think I have either." For some reason, that thought warmed Marinette's insides. Maybe André's ice cream really was magic.

They rejoined Alya and Nino, who were sitting on a nearby bench giggling over something. Or, more accurately, Alya was giggling and Nino was rolling his eyes in fond exasperation. They slid over to make room when the second couple reached them, and the four friends sat on the bench, enjoying their ice cream.

"Well, we should probably get going," Adrien finally said, once they had all finished. "I have to be up early for a shoot tomorrow, my father won't be happy if I'm too tired to smile."

It was already dark at that point, so the others reluctantly agreed. Adrien called his bodyguard and asked to be picked up, and if the others could be dropped off on the way. Nino was first, followed by Alya. Marinette gave her a quick hug before she exited the vehicle.

Adrien and Marinette rode in comfortable silence until the car stopped outside of Marinette's home.

"Today was fun, I had a really great time," Marinette told him, their knees touching as they sat next to each other.

Adrien grinned. "I'm glad, I did too."

He leaned over and then hesitated, before quickly pecking Marinette on the cheek. He laughed at her blush, still visible even in the darkness of the car's interior.

"Good night Marinette," Adrien said.

"Good night Adrien," Marinette replied as she got out of the car.

Once inside, she assured her parents that she was home and had a great time while she was out, and then headed up to her room after grabbing a couple of cookies for Tikki.

As soon as the door was closed, the tiny red kwami flew out of Marinette's bag. "Marinette!" She squealed.

"I know Tikki, I know!" She exclaimed as she flopped down onto her bed, going over the events of the day in her head.

She had gotten to spend time with her two best friends in the world, and her boyfriend. The four had a great meal, actually found André's ice cream, and Marinette's finally had three scoops. She felt warm at the thought. André's ice cream had never failed the people of Paris before, and hers was clearly for Adrien. And Adrien's was clearly for her. That thought alone was enough to make Marinette feel like she was floating. And on top of that, Adrien had kissed her! Albeit on the cheek, but that didn't seem to mean too much to the butterflies in her stomach.

They had a fabulous day, and there were no more akuma attacks to worry about to interrupt their fun. Paris had been quiet lately, but the heroes still went on weekly patrols, hesitant to give up the parts of them that they had grown to love.

"Tikki, how do you feel about going out for a little bit?" Marinette asked the kwami who was currently devouring her second cookie.

"Smfhh grhhe!" Tikki said, her mouth full after taking a large bite.

Marinette laughed. "Tikki! I can't understand you!"

Tikki shook her head and then swallowed. "Sounds great!" She said in a much clearer voice.

"Alright then, Tikki, spots on!"

The transformation only took moments, and then Ladybug was standing where Marinette had been second before.

She flexed her fingers, and grabbed for her yo-yo, before noticing that her communicator was flashing at her. Frowning, Marinette picked it up.

"Ladybug, thank goodness! I've been trying to reach you," Carapace's worried voice sounded over the communicator.

"Carapace, is something wrong?"

"I don't know, I think so. Wayzz was insistent that I call you guys so we can meet tonight, but he wouldn't say why. Just that it was urgent."

Ladybug could hear the tension in his voice. "Ok, have you managed to get ahold of anyone else yet?"

"I talked to Queen B, she said we could meet at our usual spot. But I haven't been able to get in touch with Rena or Chat yet."

"Ok, you try Rena again, I'll find Chat. We'll meet you guys at the hotel in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, ok, thanks LB," Carapace said before hanging up.

This mysterious phone call from Carapace drained away the good mood that Marinette had been in, and anxiety gnawed at her. Carapace himself was relatively calm, but on the cautious side, so his worry wasn't exactly new to her. But the fact that Wayzz had been involved, and didn't tell Carapace what was so urgent was unusual. She couldn't imagine Tikki being that cryptic, or keeping secrets from her.

She buzzed Chat's communicator, but when there was no response. She sighed and picked up her cell phone, dialing Adrien's number. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hey Marinette, what's up?"

"Hey Adrien, if you're not too busy, the cat needs to be let out of the bag. Apparently it's urgent."

Marinette heard the shuffle of footsteps and the sound of a door closing before Adrien spoke up again.

"I'm alone now, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure, Carapace just called and said Wayzz told him we all need to meet, and that it's urgent. You and Rena were the last two that needed to be told, so I said I would get you. Hopefully Carapace can reach Rena, we're going to meet at the hotel in fifteen minutes. Well, probably less now," she amended.

"Sure, I'll be there as soon as I can," Adrien said before hanging up.

Ladybug crept out of her window, making sure no one was out to see her before making her way across the rooftops to Le Grand Paris.

When she arrived, Carapace, Queen B, and Rena Rogue were already there, looking various degrees of worried. Chat Noir slipped in just moments behind her, and they were all silent for a moment.

"So, does anyone know what we're here _fur_?" Chat asked as everyone groaned.

"I think I may be able to help with that," a voice said from the shadows. The five heros whirled around as one, tensing for a fight.

Instead, Master Fu stepped forward, looking older and more tired than Marinette had ever seen him.

"Master Fu? What are you doing here?"

The old man sighed before walking forward to sink into a chair. His face was lined with worry and fatigue. "I asked Wayzz to bring you all here. We need to talk."


	5. Chapter 5

"Master?" Ladybug's eyebrows furrowed immediately, her eyes darting from her teammates to Master Fu.

"It's nice to see you again, Ladybug," he gave her a small smile, but his eyes were filled with anxiety and stress. "I have some rather… disturbing news to share with you all."

Ladybug offered to help the old man to a seat, the five superheroes taking their seats around him.

"You all did such a wonderful job bringing down Hawk Moth, I am so proud of all of you for what you've accomplished. But unfortunately, your victory was only short-lived."

Chat Noir and Ladybug exchanged concerned looks.

"What do you mean?" Rena asked urgently, leaning forward in her seat looking alarmed. "Gabriel Agreste couldn't have gotten his hands on the Miraculous again, could he?"

Master Fu shook his head. "Oh no, Rena Rouge, it's not Gabriel. However, someone has taken the Moth Miraculous, along with the Peacock, Dog, Horse, Pig, Rooster, and Goat. They would've taken them all, had I not walked in at the right time..." he trailed off, his eyes no longer focusing on the kids before him.

"What?" Ladybug's eyes went wide with horror. It was a good thing she was already sitting, or she would've likely swayed on the spot.

"Okay, so what does this mean exactly?" Queen B asked.

The old man stroked his beard. "I do not know for certain, but I have a hunch. What I do know is these Miraculous have been stolen to be used together. Someone's planning on creating a Miraculous army."

The superheroes exchanged worried glances with one another, then their attention automatically shifted to Ladybug.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to take on the trouble that lies ahead, and protect the city. This will be unlike anything you have ever faced before," his shoulders slumped.

Ladybug stood up and walked over to Master Fu, and knelt beside him, taking his hand. "Don't worry, Master, we'll take care of this."

"You can count on it," Chat Noir added, joining his Lady's side.

Master Fu smiled at the couple. Still eager to fight, still determined to protect the city, and those they love. So different from one another, yet exactly the same in every way that mattered. "You two are the leaders of your team. Guide the others, but don't forget that you can learn wonderful things from your teammates as well. I will be here for all of you if you need my guidance, and if you find that the five of you cannot handle it yourselves, take these," he handed Ladybug the box containing the remaining Miraculous. "Give these to people you believe would best help you."

"But Master," Ladybug protested, shaking her head, "that's too great a responsibility, I couldn't -"

"But you must, Ladybug. The Miraculous are no longer safe with me," he admitted with a sigh. "And you'll be needing them, so the best place for them is clearly with you now. You and Chat Noir will find good people to use them. I trust both of you."

Ladybug and Chat Noir nodded and took their seats.

"Carapace," Master Fu addressed him, catching him off-guard.

"Y-Yes?" Carapace stuttered, sitting up straight in his chair.

"Wayzz is very sensitive when it comes to the Kwami of the Miraculous. He will tell you when one has been activated. It is essential that you keep me, Ladybug, and Chat Noir informed whenever he senses another Kwami."

"Yes sir!"

"Wayzz has been my friend for many decades, I know it is a lot to ask of you, but if you could do this old man a favor and bring him for a visit whenever you have the time, it would mean more to me than you could possibly imagine. I have a lot to teach you about your Miraculous as well."

Carapace's face lit up. "Of course! I'll come visit whenever I can," he held out his hand for a handshake. Master Fu took his hand and chuckled. "It's getting late, you should all go home and get some rest."

The heroes stood up, giving Master Fu a nod and a brief smile before they left the old man alone in the room to his thoughts.

"Wait Chat," Ladybug grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving with the rest after they had stepped outside. He glanced over at the others, watching them head in separate directions and out of sight before turning back to Ladybug.

"What is it?" he asked, but the look of distress on her face was all the answer he needed, and an unsettling answer at that.

"This… war?" she said the last word as if was toxic on her tongue. "I don't know if I'm prepared for this. It's not just fighting Hawk Moth anymore, it's… someone new creating akuma for some new, unknown purpose, and they have not only the Peacock to aid them, but several more Miraculous. I'm…" her breath caught in her throat, preventing her from continuing.

Chat Noir put his hands on her shoulders. "You can say it. It's just me here," he assured her.

"I'm... scared," she admitted, her voice breaking and barely audible.

Chat pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. "It's okay to be scared."

"But I'm Ladybug, I'm not supposed to be," her body began to tremble in his arms.

"Says who?"

"Says everyone. They talk about me like I'm above fear and uncertainty. They think I'm perfect, but I'm not. I've lost count of how many times I wasn't sure if things were going to work out or what to do, and that's terrifying. What if I'm not good enough this time around to bring the villains down?"

Chat Noir let go of her just enough to see her bluebell eyes looking up at him, tears glistening, her eyes shining in the low lighting. "You have every right to feel that way, Ladybug. Anyone in your position would feel that way and more. Most, if not all, wouldn't be able handle everything you've had to. In that way, you are perfect. Despite what you're feeling, you still miraculously save the day and make it look easy no less. There's no shame in admitting you're scared, or unsure. You have your team to lean on when you need them, and you have your extremely handsome partner at your side, ready to catch you when you fall," he winked at her, causing her to laugh and shove him away playfully.

Her shoulders visibly relaxed as she let out a sigh. "You've always managed to give me the confidence I need, and never fail to cheer me up."

"That's what I'm here for," he glanced up at the moon, shining brightly above them. "We should go home and get some serious sleep, we need to spend as much time as we can preparing for what's coming."

Ladybug nodded. "But first," she took a few steps, and stood on her tiptoes, kissing Chat Noir on the cheek. "Thank you."

Chat grinned dumbly a moment, a slight blush crept onto his face. "Anytime. If you need me, I'm only a call away."


End file.
